I took my partner to the Marble Arch Frameless Gallery for an immersive art experience as part of his birthday celebration after a posh lunch in Mayfair. With 42 works of art across four themed galleries, Frameless is the largest permanent multi-sensory art exhibition in the UK. If you’re looking for the best things to do in W1 or want an immersive art experience in London, Frameless Gallery near Marble Arch offers a unique and visually captivating way to explore some of the world’s greatest masterpieces. It’s perfect for art lovers or anyone interested in seeing classical and modern paintings in a new light.
Frameless Gallery Highlights
At Frameless, you don’t just look at art; you are immersed in it. The vast projection rooms create a cinematic atmosphere, where moving images and a carefully curated soundtrack surround you. The scale and intensity can sometimes feel overwhelming, but the experience is thoughtfully paced, with moments of calm between dramatic highs. Plenty of space exists to wander, pause, and take it all in without feeling rushed or crowded. Here, you get to step inside the paintings, where colour, music and movement bring each work to life around you.
The Beyond Reality gallery was one of the most striking. It features dreamlike and surreal paintings by artists like Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst and Henri Rousseau. It’s a trippy affair, full of bold graphics, vivid colour and a merry mash-up of the strange and symbolic. Vast projections pull you into Dalí’s melting clocks, Rousseau’s exotic jungles, Klimt’s golden tree of life and Munch’s haunting figures. The mirrored space adds to the sense of disorientation and wonder, and a specially composed soundtrack by Chapman’ Chip’ Hammond ties it all together, guiding you through this surreal landscape with nine immersive tracks.
The Colour in Motion gallery’s walls and floor came alive with moving brushstrokes and bursts of colour, transforming each masterpiece into a fully immersive environment. Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhone shimmered across the space, its deep blues and golden lights pulling you into a moment of quiet reflection. Claude Monet’s The Waterlily Pond flowed gently beneath your feet, while Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte unfolded in delicate dots of colour all around you. Paintings by Paul Signac, Robert Delaunay and Berthe Morisot added rhythm and energy reimagined in motion. It felt like being placed inside the heart of a painting as it was being made vibrant, emotional and full of life.
In the World Around Us gallery, landscapes, seascapes and city scenes unfolded on an epic scale. Turner’s Fighting Temeraire glowed as it drifted across the screen. Rembrandt’s stormy sea roared around us. Hokusai’s Great Wave rose overhead, and Canaletto’s Grand Canal pulled us into Venice. Even the ancient Villa of Mysteries fresco felt vivid and close. A sweeping soundtrack added to the atmosphere. One moment, we were on a misty cliff with Caspar David Friedrich, and the next was in London’s Twilight with Grimshaw. Each setting felt real, not just to look at but to step into.
The Art of Abstraction gallery closed the journey with a bold, graphic shift in pace. Unlike the other rooms, this one felt more physical as you walked through a maze of colour, shape, and light rather than sitting and absorbing large-scale projections. The space is filled with the sharp lines and bright palettes of Kandinsky, Mondrian, Paul Klee, Hilma af Klint and others. It was playful and vibrant, with a distinctly modern energy.
Helpful Information About Frameless Marble Arch
As you enter the building, you can purchase tickets at the reception before travelling down the escalator to discover an excellent gift shop and a cool café. On the same level, you can access the four galleries at your own pace. Some have benches to sit down, but you’ll find people sitting on the floor, so watch where you’re stepping!
Frameless is located at 6 Marble Arch, London W1H 7AP. The nearest stations are Marble Arch, just one minute’s walk away, and Bond Street, about ten minutes on foot. Opening times are 11 am to 6 pm Monday to Thursday, 11 am to 9 pm on Fridays, 10 am to 9 pm on Saturdays, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays. Ticket prices start from £25 for standard adult admission, and it is advisable to book in advance. More information is available on the Frameless website.
While you are in the area, these posts may be of interest:
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Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Homegirl London.